Serendipitous
by MineAlone
Summary: "Did you ever imagine that you and I would be picking out a wedding venue together? I mean you don't even like me, so it just seems strange that you and I would end up choosing a place together."


**No real setting or other literary elements. Just a lot of conversations between a few characters.**

**Not super happy with the ending, but still trying to get back into the swing of writing things…**

Gabriella was not looking forward to the upcoming year – or the rest of her life, but that was a story for another day. She wasn't really looking forward to anything…ever. Once upon a time, she had looked forward to moving far away, starting her life over and finally being something beautiful like a poet, or writer, or traveler. Maybe even an ethnographer. Really, she probably wouldn't mind any job as long as she was far away, reinventing herself. As it was, it would be at least a couple more years until she could slip into obscurity, because for the next eighteen months she would be helping her best friend plan her dream wedding; and unfortunately, her best friend was marrying a person that didn't even like Gabriella. Being the unlucky woman that she was, Gabriella would get to spend copious amounts of time with Sharpay's fiancé since Sharpay would be traveling but still wanted everything to go according to schedule. Hence, she had enlisted Gabriella as her maid of honor and wedding coordinator.

Gabriella sat fretting this as she sipped the foam off the top of her latte and waited for the happy couple. Only two hours ago she had been packing a suitcase – convinced that she could just disappear before she had to meet them. Then, Sharpay blew into her apartment the way a hurricane blows into the mainland, derailing all of Gabriella's plans. The light in Sharpay's eyes was the same light Gabriella had seen six years ago when Sharpay and Troy had first started dating. That look meant Gabriella couldn't leave. Sharpay was her best friend, and she was so happy. Thus, Gabriella had quietly and solemnly unpacked her suitcase, both relieved and disappointed that she hadn't yet bought her plane ticket. Now, instead of hands full of luggage and a passport, her hands were occupied with pen and notebooks.

Sharpay and Troy would be there any minute, and Gabriella would have to deal with all of Troy's sideways glances, as he constantly wondered how someone as fabulous and beautiful as his fiancée could be friends with someone as plain and boring as Gabriella Montez.

"Gabi!" Sharpay's voice rang out in the otherwise quiet coffee shop. "I am so excited about this. I know you're going to make my wedding a dream come true."

"I don't know about that," Gabriella replied modestly. "I'm not _actually _a wedding planner, Sharpay."

"Nonsense," Sharpay dismissed. "You're Gabriella. It will be fabulous. You're always helping people. That's kind of what you do."

"Even to a fault," Troy commented softly.

Gabriella's lashes fluttered as she tried not to look at Troy. She was used to such jabs at her character, and she was good at ignoring them.

"What do you need me to do, Sharpay?" Gabriella licked her lips and flipped open a notebook.

"Oh good you brought something to write on. We're basically starting from scratch. We need everything. The first thing is a venue, but not just any venue. I want one that makes me feel like a queen. Expense isn't an issue. I'll pay any price as long as it's the right venue. It must be something with spiral staircases and gardens overflowing with flora and fauna. Speaking of flora and fauna. I want pink…obviously. Roses are preferable, but a mixture of roses and other varieties are fine if they look regal."

And that was how the next hour went. Gabriella diligently wrote down everything Sharpay said, and she diligently ignored the feeling of Troy's eyes on her as she took impressively precise notes.

"Did you get all that, Gabriella?"

"I think so," Gabriella closed notebook and slipped it back into her bag. "So I think I'm going to go now that I have everything. I'll start working on it a little later."

"Wait! No, you can't leave." Sharpay stood with her hands firmly on her hips.

Gabriella's big brown eyes peered up at Sharpay through her long lashes, "Why not?"

"I need you to go with Troy so he can be sized for his suit."

Her eyes widened to the size of saucers and Troy choked on his coffee.

"What?" He asked, but Sharpay dismissed him with the wave of her hand.

"Why? You aren't getting married until next year. There isn't much reason to size Troy for a suit right now."

"Not for our wedding, silly. We have engagement photos in a few weeks, but Troy needs a new suit. None of the ones he owns do a thing for my skin tone."

"Oh," Gabriella answered simply, "Why aren't you going with Troy?"

"I have rehearsal."

"Isn't Chad free," Gabriella turned her eyes hesitantly to Troy. "He's your best man."

"Please," Sharpay didn't wait for Troy to answer Gabriella, "that moron isn't helpful anywhere except the basketball field."

"Court," Troy and Gabriella corrected in unison.

"Whatever. Just go with him, Gabi."

"Gabriella," Troy finally addressed her, "Go home, or go do whatever you were going to do. You've helped enough. Sharpay's given you a list to keep you busy for the next six years. I can go get sized by myself – as I had initially planned." He directed a pointed glare at Sharpay.

She nodded and gathered up her things, "Bye, Sharpay," she looked at her frowning friend, "I'll call you later."

Gabriella didn't really have anything to do. She just wanted to go to the park. She liked people watching and sitting quietly under a tree. It was something simple that was all for her, so that's what she did.

XxxX

"Hello?" Gabriella answered the phone groggily. Through bleary eyes she could make out the numbers on her digital clock: 6:45. Why was someone calling her so early on a Sunday?

"Hey Gabi," Sharpay's perky voice sounded foreign over the phone. She had been helping Sharpay – and subsequently Troy – nonstop for the past two months. She just wanted them to leave her alone. "I'm flying out a little earlier than anticipated. Today actually, but Troy and I were supposed to go look at a couple of venues together on Wednesday. There's no one in the world that I trust more than you. Will you go with him?"

"Uhh, yeah sure. I'll go," Gabriella felt like she was going to vomit. Troy had not hidden the fact that he was less than thrilled to be spending so much time with Gabriella. Now Sharpay was leaving the country for the next three months, and Gabriella could only imagine what kind of hostility Troy would show towards her when they were alone together.

XxxX

"Thought you might like one," Troy handed Gabriella a muffin as she sat down in the passenger seat. Wednesday had come all too quickly, but she was ready to get it over with.

"Thank you," things were off to an unusually good start.

"What kind of music do you like? We have a long drive. Might as well get comfortable." He told her as he pulled onto the road and drove toward the interstate.

"Really anything as long as it isn't country. My fondness for heart break ends at 'Achy Breaky Heart,' but country music didn't get the memo."

Troy smiled to himself and adjusted the radio for her, "Well, feel free to change it any time."

She nodded, and Troy was struck by the fact that this was one of the rare occasions they were alone together. Troy never could figure out why Sharpay and Gabriella were friends, and over the past two months, the question plagued him even more. Gabriella was gentle, and funny, and kind. Sharpay was abrasive and self-centered. Troy could see why someone as self-centered as Sharpay liked having a people-pleasing friend, but he couldn't figure out why someone like Gabriella would like having Sharpay as a friend. Troy didn't even quite like having Sharpay as a girlfriend – let alone a fiancé. He was just trying to figure out how to tell her without ending up dead.

He glanced over at Gabriella inconspicuously. She looked pretty like always. He didn't want to take his eyes off of her. She was wearing a casual baby doll dress that hit mid-thigh, giving him a lovely view of her creamy skin. It was edged with lace that made her look a little bit ethereal but also a little bit childish.

He was doing it again. Silently judging her. Gabriella could feel his eyes on her, and she wished he didn't dislike her so much.

XxxX

Gabriella let her hands ghost against the archways of their latest venture. She and Troy were at their third venue viewing. This one was beautiful, but probably not chic enough for Sharpay. It was all old architecture – an immense Tuscan inspired villa complete with elegant iron and textured surfaces.

Gabriella glanced over her shoulder to see Troy flipping through a portfolio filled with wedding photos.

"Did you ever imagine that you and I would be picking out a wedding venue together?" Gabriella asked before walking around to investigate all the different open rooms.

Her voice was soft and unassuming. "I mean you don't even like me, so it just seems strange that you and I would end up choosing a place together."

"What?" Troy looked up from the portfolio in his hands. He seemed genuinely surprised by her comment.

"What?" she asked in turn, unsure of why he looked so shocked.

"Who said I didn't like you?"

"C'mon," she rolled her pretty eyes, "we're adults. You don't have to pretend. You're not very good at it anyway," she added. "Sharpay told me years ago that you didn't like me."

"Gabriella, I never –"

She interrupted him but didn't meet his gaze. Instead, she continued to admire the character of the place as she spoke, "I mean, it hurt my feelings when we were in high school, because I sort of had a crush on you. I thought you were smart, and handsome, and funny, and nice. But then Sharpay told me that you were always calling me nerdy and weird, and you couldn't figure out why she was friends with me." Gabriella wasn't sure why she was telling Troy all of this now, and she told him so, "I don't know why I'm telling you all this."

Maybe it was because it had been building for the past nine years. Maybe because she had put up with his offhand comments and constant glances for almost a decade. But maybe most importantly because it had started with him. Before Troy, Gabriella had never thought she was weird or ugly or nerdy, or any of the other things he had made her feel for so long. Before Sharpay had told Gabriella that her very first crush not only didn't like her back, but thought so lowly of her, she hadn't been self-conscious. And she hated herself for allowing one person to make her feel the way she did. That's why she wanted to get away. Being away from Troy would give Gabriella her life back.

"Maybe it still hurts my feelings," Gabriella sighed softly after a long silence. "I never thought I was weird and nerdy until you thought so. It was hard having someone I liked so much think those things about me. Now I feel like I'm stuck this way forever."

"Gabriella," out of nowhere, she felt Troy take her hand in his. She jumped in surprise, but his action had the intended effect of grabbing her attention. Gabriella looked up and saw pain and sincerity in his eyes, "I never said those things about you," he licked his lips and continued to hold her hand. He needed her to hear this, "I never thought you were weird or nerdy. I've always thought you were amazing."

"What? No, Sharpay told me. It was one time after a bunch of us had gone to the movies," Gabriella shook her head as if remembering the events, "you and I sat beside one another and shared popcorn. Then, I went to Sharpay's to stay the night. I was going to tell her that I liked you, but before I ever did, she told me that you were a jerk; and she told me that you said all those things about me."

"Gabriella," Troy let go of her hand and brought both of his hands up to her face. He held her cheeks in his hands tenderly, running his thumbs over her soft skin, "I promise that I never said any of those things."

"Sharpay wouldn't lie," Gabriella's eyes swam with tears and Troy could hear the lump in her throat as she spoke. Sharpay wouldn't lie about something so important. She wouldn't say something that would make Gabriella doubt herself and feel so badly about herself for so long. That wasn't what friends did. If Sharpay said that Troy said mean things, then Troy said mean things.

His voice brought her out of her thoughts, "You may have had a crush on me in high school, Gabriella, but I was in love with you, and I would have never said those things." Troy admitted this with so much force that it almost knocked Gabriella down.

She retreated, shaking her head, but Troy's strong voice persisted, "I loved everything about you back then, and today too. You're compassionate and thoughtful – to a fault," he chuckled humorlessly, "You're empathetic, and you listen, but, like, you really listen, Gabriella. I love the way you listen with your whole body, the way you turn in towards the speaker and your face goes all soft as you listen. You're also funny and brilliant, and so, so beautiful. And maybe you were a little nerdy back in high school, but I loved that too – the way you clutched your books to your chest like they were sacred, the way you always knew the answer, but never revealed it unless someone asked you specifically, and the way you were constantly curious about everything around us. Everything about you drew me in," he'd moved closer to her so that his warm breath was fanning across her face as he continued to caress her cheek and stare into her eyes longingly. "I never talked to Sharpay about you like that or any other way, because I knew if I talked about you at all, she would know. She would know what I felt for you."

"Sharpay wouldn't lie," her best friend wouldn't lie to her. Gabriella's brain reiterated. Sharpay wouldn't hurt her like that. She wouldn't make Gabriella feel alone for so long. Tears ran down her face, "Why are you saying all this, Troy?"

"Because it's true. Gabriella, I don't know what's going on, but everything I'm saying is true."

"It isn't true. If it was you wouldn't have spent the last nine years looking at me like you wished I would disappear, or talking to me like I wasn't even worthy of conversation, or avoiding being anywhere near me." She backed away from him angrily.

"I've never looked at you like that," Troy grabbed her hands before she could move any further away from him, his voice still pleading. His thumb rubbed her knuckles. "I've only ever loved looking at you," he couldn't help the slight smile that graced his face. "Maybe a little too much, but I always thought I was being discreet. And I didn't talk to you or spend time with you, because you don't like me. You don't like being near me. I mean, for god's sake, you wouldn't even talk to me in the car today. I thought I was just giving you space. I didn't want you to have to be with me if you didn't want to be with me."

Gabriella's mind couldn't quite comprehend what he was saying. All those years? All the times she'd caught him glancing at her it wasn't because he despised her, it was because he loved her? She couldn't believe it.

"No, you're lying. You would have told me if you loved me." She sniffed and wiped the tears from her face. "Don't follow me." She walked out the back doors and into the garden.

XxxX

He didn't listen, and when he finally found Gabriella, she was sitting on a bench in the garden, staring at her hands in her lap. Her dark hair shielded her face so he couldn't tell if she was still crying or not. Troy walked cautiously to the bench and sat down beside her. Without warning, he tucked her hair behind her ear.

"How can you say you loved me?" she asked bitterly, "You don't even know the simplest things about me."

"I know that daisies are your favorite flowers," he said simply. Then he sat quietly.

"How do you know that," Gabriella asked him, but didn't meet his eyes.

Troy lifted his brow quizzically, "Everyone knows that."

"No one knows that. No one has ever bought me flowers. Let alone my favorite ones."

"I bought you flowers every year during university. Every year, for four years on your birthday. I know you got them. I would leave them in your dorm room with a note."

Gabriella began to sob, "Why are you telling me these things?" Her whole life felt like a lie. She'd seen the beautiful flowers every year placed in a vase and on Sharpay's desk. She'd listened to Sharpay gush about how wonderful Troy was to her. Gabriella had always wondered why he only ever bought Sharpay the flowers on Gabriella's birthday, but she felt foolish asking, so she never did.

"I never got them," Gabriella finally made the words come out, "she always said you bought them for her. I don't understand."

"I stopped bringing them, because Sharpay said you didn't like me buying things for you, but I saw the way you looked at them sometimes when I would come to see Sharpay, and I could never figure out why you told her you didn't want them, but looked at them like you wished they were yours."

Tears dripped down Gabriella's nose as she continued to stare at her hands in her lap.

"We need to talk to Sharpay," Troy said firmly.

"She isn't back in the country for three months."

"Then we need to talk to each other."

XxxX

Troy and Gabriella sat in his car. They were parked outside Gabriella's apartment. They hadn't talked for much of the ride home, but the air had grown thick with questions, and Gabriella was the first one to ask. She unbuckled her seat belt but didn't move to leave the car. She turned her body so that she was facing Troy.

"Why didn't you ever tell me that you loved me?" Gabriella asked the one question that was burning her from the inside out.

"Sharpay made it seem like you didn't like me, and then you avoided me all the time, so what would have been the point?" The sadness was evident on Troy's face and in his tone.

"I don't know," Gabriella admitted. "I just wish I had known."

"Me too," Troy reached for her hand and she let him hold it, "do you think you would have loved me back?" He looked up at her like he was nervous about what her answer would be.

Gabriella nodded and Troy could see her composing herself before speaking, "I would have loved you immediately and without question."

"Do you think you could love me now?"

"Yeah."

Troy leaned over the console and kissed her. It wasn't a kiss that could erase nine years of longing for her, but he hoped it was a start. A start to healing both of their hearts.

"Come inside with me," Gabriella sighed into their kiss.

They walked together up the two flights of stairs that led to Gabriella's door. As Gabriella dug into her purse for her keys, Troy stood behind her, his hands tenderly brushing her curls to one shoulder so he could press a kiss to her exposed neck.

They entered her apartment, and Gabriella immediately kicked off her shoes, "Want some tea?"

"I just want to hold you."

Despite her best efforts, her eyes began to swim with unshed tears again, "That sounds nice." She took Troy's hand in her own and led him to her bedroom, "stay with me tonight?"

Troy nodded before pressing a kiss to her forehead.

Gabriella began peeling her clothes from her body, redressing in pajamas, "I'm sorry I don't have any for you."

"That's all right. I usually just sleep in my boxers."

"Perfect."

The way Gabriella fit in his arms when they climbed into bed made Troy ache for all the nights he had gone without her, "Nine years," he sighed into the quiet. "I've gone nine years missing you in my arms."

"Don't say it," Gabriella's voice was barely above a whisper. "I'll cry if I think about it. I don't want to cry right now. I just want to focus on listening to your heart beat."

"I've loved you for so long, Gabriella. It's time we'll never get back. Time I'll never have to ask you all those stupid questions people take for granted."

"Ask me now," Gabriella looked up at him from her safe, warm spot in his arms.

"What's your favorite restaurant in the city?"

"That Asian fusion place on 6th Street that serves steamed buns."

"How do you spend your Saturdays?"

"Before the engagement, I spent them trying to figure out how to run away from my life. Trying to figure out how to pack up and vanish. I didn't think anyone would notice."

"I would have."

"And I would have gone my whole life never knowing that," she began to cry. Her body was wracked with sobs, "she took so much from us, Troy."

"I know," he held her tighter and tears fell down his own face.

XxxX

They had each only slept with a couple of people. For Gabriella, it was more of something she just did because it was expected. The first guy was someone she'd dated for five months. Sex with him wasn't particularly good, but it also wasn't particularly bad either. It was just sex that she could tolerate so long as she didn't have to stay and cuddle afterward. The other guy was some stranger she'd met at a bar on a particularly alcohol-induced night. She didn't remember much of him.

For Troy, he'd slept with Sharpay because he had to, but during their brief break up a couple of years ago he'd also slept with a woman from work. But nothing compared to the woman he was sleeping with now.

Sex between Troy and Gabriella was different. At first, they weren't sure if it should be fast to make up for lost time, or slow to relish the time they now had. In the end, it didn't matter as long as they were together.

They shared loving, longing looks that made Gabriella gasp for breath. Soft, sensual touches that seared Troy's body in the most delicious way.

"You have all of me," Gabriella had told Troy the first time and every subsequent time.

They shared terms of endearment and affection, Troy never short of "I love yous" for Gabriella.

Troy moved inside Gabriella. Their lovemaking was slow right now. His chest was to Gabriella's back, and his fingers moved between her thighs and within her wet hotness in conjunction with the rocking of his hips as he filled her.

"I'm going to come," Gabriella's breathy admittance was uttered like a prayer.

"Come, baby. I want to feel you orgasm around my cock." His dirty words were enough to elicit the intended response, and Troy felt the rhythmic pull of her velvety walls against his erection, pulling him along seconds later to fill Gabriella with the evidence of how good she made him feel.

They kept their bodies connected as their heart rates slowed.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

XxxX

Troy pushed Gabriella's panties to the side just enough to slip into her. This time was fast, and hot, and up against the kitchen counter. He pushed her camisole up haphazardly so that he could mold her breasts within his hands while he sucked her neck.

"Fuck," Gabriella hissed. Her hands clenched the sides of the island countertop as she pushed her hips back to meet each of Troy's hard thrusts.

"So good," his words were hot against her ear.

"Uh huh," Gabriella agreed before letting out a high-pitched sound of pleasure as Troy's fingers found their favorite spot between her legs.

"I want to taste you," Troy didn't wait to pull himself from Gabriella and hoist her onto the countertop. She missed the feeling of having him inside her, but that was soon replaced as he removed her panties and spread her legs. He offered one long, slow lick up her wet folds before latching on to the bundle of nerves that he knew would send her over the edge.

Of their own accord, Gabriella's fingers buried themselves into Troy's hair and pulled him closer, wanting all that he could give.

She moaned and gasped in pleasure, which elicited a smile from Troy that she could feel against her body.

When he felt her body tightening up in anticipation for release, he removed his mouth and replaced it with fingers that moved furiously inside her as well as against her clitoris; and before long he felt a river of wetness leaving her body.

As she came hard, Gabriella called his name over and over and held out her arms, beckoning him to come to her. Troy wrapped Gabriella in his embrace and held her as she rode out her orgasm. When he felt her breathing return almost to normal, he flicked an experimental finger against her still swollen clit, only to make her gasp and jerk in his arms.

"Your turn," Gabriella licked his lips before initiating a long, hot kiss. On shaky legs she led Troy to the sofa, "I want to taste you now." She bent down between his knees and did just that.

"Fuck, baby," Gabriella's warm hand wrapped around Troy's arousal only seconds before her tongue swirled around the tip. She took her time lathing him with attention, enjoying the sounds of his pleasure.

As her tempo sped up and the pressure she applied increased, Troy's breathing became so erratic that he almost couldn't formulate the words to tell her to stop, "Gabriella, s-stop. Please. I want to come inside you."

Gabriella heard him through her own rushed breath and quickly climbed onto his lap. She led his aching cock to her entrance and sank down on him slowly, but the rocking of their hips soon increased in speed and she could tell that he was oh so close. Then, she felt a final jerk of his hips that signaled that she should ride him slowly down now.

"Oh god that was so good."

Gabriella nodded her agreement with a love drunk smile before encircling her arms around his neck and kissing him.

XxxX

Gabriella was snuggled into Troy's side as they lay in bed, "She comes back in thirteen hours."

"What are we going to do?"

"I don't know."

"We could just let her figure it out on her own. Most of my stuff is here anyway. That should be a pretty good clue," he was rubbing slow circles against her arm. Troy slipped one hand beneath Gabriella's shirt and splayed his hand flat across her stomach, "how are you feeling?"

She shrugged in his arms, "We probably won't know anything for at least a couple more weeks. Who knows? I might get my period tomorrow. I just kind of doubt it."

"I can't believe we let this happen."

Gabriella smirked and rolled her eyes, "Troy, we've been having unprotected sex almost daily for the past three months. We _knew _this would happen, but I didn't think it would happen right now. We haven't even told her. She's still planning your wedding for God's sake, and here I am probably knocked up by her fiancé."

"Please don't call me that," he sighed.

Gabriella looked up at him affectionately, "I'm sorry."

"I'm all yours, remember?"

"And I'm all yours. _We_," she emphasized by placing her hand atop Troy's that still lay on her stomach, "are all yours."

"Despite all this shit, I'm happy, Gabriella. I'm happy I'm finally with you. I'm happy we're having a baby."

"So am I. We'll never get those years back, but we've got so many ahead of us. We're starting a family, looking for a bigger place, eventually I hope you'll ask me to marry you," she winked teasingly.

"You know I will. I already have a ring for you," he smiled.

Gabriella looked at him with awe, her voice quiet, "You do?"

Troy nodded, "I'd propose to you and marry you today, but that's not very romantic."

"Do it anyway," she sat up in bed and looked directly into his eyes, "we can plan romantic later. I'd marry you now." She promised.

"What?" Troy also sat up, trying to gauge if she was serious.

Gabriella held out her left hand, "Ask me to marry you, Troy."

He almost fell out of bed as he stumbled over to his newly acquired sock drawer, "I haven't even had it sized yet."

"Doesn't matter."

Troy pulled a small velvet box from the drawer and climbed back into bed with Gabriella, "It was my grandmother's. The crazy thing is, she gave it to me when I was fifteen, and then when I met you three years later, I knew that I wanted to give it to you someday, but…" he trailed off, "You know the rest of the story. Point is, it's always belonged to you. Just like my heart has."

He opened the box to reveal a flower opal with a diamond halo. He slipped it onto Gabriella's finger as tears ran down her cheeks.

"It fits," she smiled through the tears. "And it's so, so beautiful, Troy."

"Let's go get married."

Four hours later they stood posing for a wedding photo at the courthouse, and neither of them had ever looked so happy. They had filled out all the paperwork like it was a mad dash, and then smiled and laughed with one another as they deposited it to the clerk who smiled kindly at them and gave them a number for the queue.

"Did we just do that?" Gabriella asked in a daze.

"We did, and you are the most beautiful bride under the sun, moon, and stars," Troy lavished her with compliments before kissing her again and again.

"Now we've really got something to tell Sharpay."

"I vote we just disappear and never speak to her again. Like I said, she'll figure it out."

Gabriella smiled and was tempted to agree with him. Her voice was soft, "But I need to know why she did it."

"Nothing justifies it."

"I know."

XxxX

"Her plane just landed," Troy was speaking into his cell phone, Gabriella on the other line.

"Okay."

"Gabriella, I don't know if I can do this. I don't know if I can look at her."

"I know. It's going to be so hard, but you don't want to cause a scene. Just pick her up and we'll meet at her apartment like we planned. We can confront her together."

"Okay, I'll try. I love you."

"I love you too."

Gabriella's hands were sweaty, and the weight of her wedding ring seemed much heavier than it had mere hours ago as she knocked on the door to Sharpay's apartment.

"Gabi," Sharpay squealed upon opening the door and ushering Gabriella into a tight hug.

"Hi, Sharpay," as she stepped inside, she realized that a distinct presence was missing. "Where's Troy?"

"Oh I sent him out to get some dinner for us," Sharpay waved her hand as if dismissing Gabriella's question. "So," she spun around to look at Gabriella, "tell me all about the wedding planning. I see you brought your notebook."

Gabriella clutched the notebook to her chest. Truthfully, she'd brought it because she knew Sharpay expected it, but there wasn't really anything in it.

"What's that thing on your hand?" Sharpay asked suddenly, pointing to Gabriella's ring.

"M…my wedding ring," her voice as soft and unsure, more like a question.

Sharpay laughed, "Oh okay."

She didn't believe her.

"Just tell me what you planned while I was gone."

"Why did you lie to me?" The words left her mouth before she could stop them. She bit back the tears in her eyes, but she could feel her throat tightening with unshed emotion.

"What?"

"You lied to me…about everything."

"What exactly have I lied to you about, Gabriella?" An angry glint filled Sharpay's eyes.

"Troy," her voice was exasperated. "Do you know how much I've been hurting all these years?

"Better you than me," Sharpay said it so sharply that Gabriella gasped with hurt. She wasn't even trying to pretend she didn't know.

"But he loved me. You told me he didn't even like me." Gabriella's voice was desperate for Sharpay to understand how much she'd hurt her.

"And I loved him!" Sharpay snapped, "I had spent five years trying to get him to notice me, but as soon as you transferred to our school, he only had eyes for you. Do _you _have any idea how much that hurt _me_?"

"But we were friends. I would have never done anything to intentionally hurt you. You could have told me."

"Please, I did what I had to do. You liked him, I liked him, and he liked _you_. I had to do something so that he would like me."

"But he doesn't like you," Gabriella bit out.

"He's marrying me, isn't he?"

"No," Gabriella's anger was hardly contained, "he isn't marrying you."

"What?" Sharpay stormed up to Gabriella. "What do you mean, he isn't going to marry me?" Sharpay's voice rose several octaves.

"I'm pregnant. We're having a baby."

"You bitch!" Sharpay slapped her, but Gabriella expected it.

Despite the sting and watering in her eyes, Gabriella's voice was strong, "I love him, and he loves me."

"Just because he stuck his dick in you doesn't mean he loves you."

"Then why did he marry me?"

"What?" her high-pitched question was punctuated by the opening of the front door.

Troy walked in, "I've got the food," but as soon as he saw Gabriella's face, he dropped the bags onto the floor and rushed over, "What happened?" His fingers brushed against her red cheek before he laid his entire palm against her cheek comfortingly.

Gabriella didn't say anything, but Troy could read it in her eyes, "Oh shit." He muttered.

He looked over at an enraged Sharpay, "What is she talking about? I've been gone for three months, and you've managed to ruin everything. Not only did you fuck her and knock her up, you married her. What about our engagement?"

"We never would have had an engagement if it wasn't for your lies." Troy bit out.

Sharpay crossed her arms smugly, "Exactly. I did what I had to do to make sure you made the right decisions."

"Fuck you," was all Troy could say.

"Let's go, Troy," Gabriella gently tugged his arm.

"Where the hell do you think you are going?" Sharpay jerked Troy's other arm. "You aren't going anywhere until you tell me what the hell's happening. Troy, you married her!"

"Sure did. And again, fuck you, Sharpay." Troy took Gabriella by the hand and they left.

XxxX

"That went well," Gabriella sighed. Her eyes met Troy's and they both couldn't help but smile. "You were very eloquent," she told him, but her voice dripped with sarcasm. They were in the kitchen of Gabriella's apartment. She was boiling pasta while Troy chopped vegetables to add to the sauce he was making.

"Well, at least it's over." He looked over at Gabriella.

"Is it though?"

"God, I hope so. I just want to be with you and our baby. I want to take you to my parents and introduce you to them afresh. I want to visit your mom and tell her how in love with her daughter I am. I want to forget everything that isn't directly related to how much I love you."

"Troy," Gabriella's voice cooed softly as she ran her fingers through his hair. She stood on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his, "that sounds perfect."

"Let's go to the beach tomorrow. Start making memories?"

"Troy, the closest beach is like ten hours away, and it's in Mexico."

"So? We could make a big trip of it. I've got a lot of annual leave saved up. Can you take off work?"  
"I'll just quit my job. I hate it anyway," Gabriella was serious. "And my mom is in Phoenix for the next two months while she works on some company merger. We could stop off to see her."

"I love that idea." Troy left the pasta sauce he had been attending so that he could bring Gabriella into his arms properly, and he kissed her, "Should we tell everyone you're now a married, pregnant woman?"

"How about we tell them we're planning a wedding and leave out that we're already legally married? And let's tell them about the baby in a couple months. I want to make it through the first trimester before announcing anything. But who knows? Sharpay might go ahead and tell everyone."

Troy shook his head, "I doubt it. It would make her look bad."

"True."

Then, Troy grinned, "I guess we should start packing."

"Let's finish dinner first, Wildcat," Gabriella laughed.

"Wildcat," Troy asked Gabriella with a grin.

"I…I don't have to call you that if you don't like it," she blushed.

"I love it," Troy husked before kissing her again, which easily progressed to affectionate, sensual touches.

"Wait," Gabriella breathed out as Troy's lips descended, "turn off the stove first. I guess we aren't having dinner."

"Oh I'm still going to have a meal," Troy wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

XxxX

"Is everything packed?" Gabriella had convinced Troy to wait two weeks for their beach trip so that she could turn in her notice to work and let her mom know that they were coming. It had taken a bit of coaxing, but she'd promised him at least one late night skinny dip, which he willingly accepted.

"We're all set. We just have to pick up the rental in a couple hours then we can hit the road."

Gabriella rolled her suitcase over to where Troy was standing with the rest of their luggage, "Why don't we go get some brunch at the café around the corner while we wait?"

"How did you know I was hungry?" Troy smiled at her so brilliantly that Gabriella could hardly believe he loved her.

Instead of answering him she peered at him seriously, "I love you. So much. More than I thought possible."

"Hey," Troy brushed his knuckles against her cheek, "I love you too. I have for a long time. And I want to show you every day for the rest of our lives. I'm happy you love me back," he pressed his lips lightly to Gabriella's and soaked in the warmth of her body against his.

When their lips parted, Gabriella's eyes were closed, and their foreheads were pressed against one another's.

"Let's load everything up and go get that brunch, huh?" Troy whispered after a few minutes.

XxxX

Troy and Gabriella were two hours into their six hour drive to Phoenix. However, the joy of introducing her mother to the man she loved was marred by the constant vibrating of her phone.

"She's calling me again," she sighed. "She'll be calling you next I'm sure."

"Yeah, she's already left me three voicemails. Want to listen to them?"

Gabriella rolled her eyes, "We already know what they say. She just wants you to come back to her, you're embarrassing her because she's already told everyone about your engagement, etcetera, etcetera."

"Has she left you any voicemails?"

"No, just aggressive text messages. Listen to this one: Gabriella, you're making a fool of yourself. Everyone's going to know that you're a homewrecking back-stabber in less than a week. Tell Troy to call me."

"I'm going to call her," Troy declared, his face morphing into one of concern for Gabriella, "I don't want her to keep sending you shit like that."

"Troy, it's all right. I don't care about it," Gabriella reassured. "Though it's very sweet, you don't have to be my knight in shining armor."

Troy pulled into a nearby gas station, and smiled at Gabriella, "Okay, I won't call her, but when she calls me, I'm going to answer and tell her to leave us both alone."

Gabriella responded with a half-hearted eyebrow quirk, "Whatever you say, Wildcat."

Troy brushed his lips against Gabriella's before smiling at her, "You want to load up on snacks while I fill up?"

"Sure, what do you want?"

"Beef jerky and Funyuns."

"I'm not kissing you after those snacks," Gabriella warned with a warm laugh in her lilting voice.

"We'll see about that," Troy pulled her close and gave her a kiss for good measure before she went into the convenience store.

It wasn't thirty seconds later that his phone began ringing.

"Sharpay, stop calling me, and leave Gabriella the hell alone."

"Troy," she was crying the way she did when she wanted something. She stretched out his name and wailed. "Come home. I need you. I can't plan this wedding by myself. I'm sorry I overreacted. We can work this out."

Troy held the phone between his ear and shoulder as he unscrewed the gas cap with one hand and used the other to insert the nozzle.

"Sharpay, it's over. I'm blocking you from my phone and Gabriella's. Do yourself a favor, call everyone up and let them know that it's over."

"It's not over," she insisted. "I said I'm sorry. We can work this out."

"Listen to me. I love Gabriella, and I married her. I am married to Gabriella. Nothing is going to change that. Goodbye, Sharpay." With that, Troy ended the call and began blocking her from his phone.

He looked up to see Gabriella walking back to the car. Her arms were loaded with bags of snacks.

"I'm back," she sing-songed.

"I see that," Troy couldn't help but smile into her face, "do you even know how beautiful you are?" he asked as he took the bags from her arms.

Her simple response was to kiss him, "Do you know how beautiful _you _are?"

XxxX

Hours later they arrived at Elena Montez's house. The sun was setting, and all Troy and Gabriella wanted to do was crawl into bed.

Troy smiled at Gabriella tiredly, "Think she'll like me?"

"Nervous? She will love everything about you," Gabriella assured.

Troy unfastened his seat belt, "Well, let's go meet her then."

The both climbed out of the car, and Troy started to unload their bags just as he heard the front door open.

"Mi hija," Elena Montez's voice carried her straight to her daughter. Troy watched as they wrapped one another in a warm embrace, the elder Montez kissing her daughter's face several times. "How I've missed you. Let me get a good look at you."

Elena held Gabriella at arm's length and beamed at her, "The most beautiful girl," she declared proudly.

To which Troy smiled and agreed, "I second that."

Elena looked over at him as if just now registering his presence, but her face was kind, "Troy Bolton, I remember you were always a sweet boy. I hope nothing has changed."

Troy offered a soft chuckle, and before he knew it, his face was held gently between Elena's two hands, "You're taking good care of my baby?"

"The best care, Mami," Gabriella spoke, and her eyes sparkled with adoration for Troy.

"Well, if you can put that look on her face, then I guess you're a keeper," Elena spoke directly to Troy, her eyes searching his.

"I love her more than words could describe," Troy admitted shyly, his face heating up under both Elena's scrutiny and his own admission.

At this, Elena beamed at him, the lovely creases around her eyes the only evidence of her age, "Good. She deserves nothing less." She let go of his face and turned to her daughter, "Now let's get you two settled in. I'm sure you're tired and hungry."

"Mami is the best cook," Gabriella embraced her mother again, but was talking to Troy.

"Then lead the way," he grabbed both of their suitcases and followed the two women inside.

Once in the door, he was hit with the spicy aroma of ethnic food. His mouth instantly watered and his stomach rumbled.

XxxX

After dinner, Gabriella kissed Troy and encouraged him to go to bed, "Go ahead, Troy. I'll be up soon. You drove most of the ride. I know you are tired. Once I finish helping Mami clean up, I'll come to bed too."

Troy reciprocated Gabriella's kiss, "Okay. I'll see you up there."

After bidding Troy goodnight, Gabriella walked into the kitchen to find her mother already scrubbing dishes, "Want me to dry?"

"Sure, mi hija," Elena placed a towel on the counter for Gabriella before turning to give her daughter a long look. "You know what, let's leave the dishes for now, huh? I'll make us some tea and we can talk for a little while before you go to bed."

Gabriella nodded before walking over to the small kitchen nook to sit. She watched her mother buzz around the kitchen, taking out a kettle, tea, honey, and two cups before filling the kettle and setting on the stove eye. As the water boiled, Elena placed a tea bag in each cup; and Gabriella was hit with a wave of nostalgia.

It had been just her and her mother for years. When she was ten, her father had remarried and started a new family with children he obviously loved more than he loved Gabriella. Gabriella remembered her mother trying so hard to shield her from this harsh truth, making up excuses for her absent father, and trying desperately to always fill the void. She'd given up so many things in order to make sure she could give Gabriella everything. Gabriella only had fond, warm memories of her mother, which included late nights with tea. Sometimes they would talk, sometimes they wouldn't say anything, but Gabriella had loved every minute of time with her mother, because she knew that even if her father would never choose her, her mother would never choose anyone else. Gabriella was always her mother's first choice.

The whistle of the tea kettle brought Gabriella back to the present. She watched her mother fill the cups before carrying them both over to Gabriella. Elena sat down and pushed one cup gently across the table to Gabriella before blowing a slow stream of cool air over her own tea.

They sat quietly for a few moments before Elena finally spoke, "Are you going to tell your mami what's going on, or should I just jump to conclusions?"

Gabriella blushed, "What should I tell you?"

"Well, mi hija," Elena reached across the table to hold Gabriella's hand, "The last thing I heard from Bobbi Evans was that her daughter, and your friend, was engaged to Troy Bolton. Maybe we can start there."

"I love him," Gabriella said meekly.

"I know you do. It's evident that you both are head over heels for one another, but I want to know how the two of you ended up on a road trip to Phoenix."

"It's so messed up, Mami," against her will, tears filled Gabriella's eyes. "Sharpay lied to both of us for so long," Gabriella began to recount the details to her mother. "Troy has loved me since high school, but Sharpay told him that I didn't like him, and she told me that he didn't like me."

"But you did like each other?" Elena was trying to keep up.

"So much," Gabriella took a breath and started closer to the beginning, "Back in high school we all used to spend time together, but not just the three of us. You remember right? There was a big group of us that would go to basketball games together, or out to eat, or to the movies. One night we went to see a movie together. Troy and I sat beside each other and shared popcorn. We even talked a little – making comments and jokes about the movie. After it was over, I went to stay the night with Sharpay. I was going to tell her how much I liked Troy, but I guess she already knew, because before I could say anything, she started telling me about all these awful things Troy had said about me. He said I was nerdy and weird. He said he didn't know why Sharpay was friends with me, etcetera, etcetera. Only, he never said those things. She just made me believe he had; and she made him believe that I was avoiding him because I didn't like him. I only avoided him because I thought he didn't like me."

Gabriella looked at the hurt in her mother's eyes, no doubt devastated that someone would manipulate her daughter like this, "Oh honey, I'm so sorry."

"You know, she even lied about the flowers he would buy me. I thought he was just being cruel when he bought flowers for Sharpay every year on my birthday, but it turns out they were for me. Troy knew my favorite flower, and he bought me a bouquet for four years that Sharpay then pretended were hers. She told Troy that I didn't like him buying me things, so he stopped."

"How did you find all this out, baby?"

"Ironically, when I was helping Troy choose a wedding venue. I made an offhand comment about how it was funny that he and I were looking at wedding venues when he didn't even like me. He told me that wasn't true, and that he had loved me for as long as I had thought he disliked me."

"It seems like Sharpay ripped you two apart and then unwittingly put you back together."

"She hurt us both so badly, Mami. I've spent so long, feeling so bad, feeling so alone, and it all turned out to be a lie. How do Troy and I move on? We can never get all the years back."

"You move on just like you are doing now," Elena stood up and walked around to Gabriella. She brought her adult daughter into her embrace, the way she had done when Gabriella was a little girl, "You have dinner together, you argue over whose turn it is to do laundry, you wake up next to each other, you plan road trips together, you have children together," Elena cooed this last part softly into Gabriella's ear while simultaneously placing a hand on her daughter's stomach.

Gabriella looked up at her mother with wide eyes, "How did you know?"

"You didn't eat any of the chiles tonight. I couldn't eat them when I was pregnant with you either, so I just took a guess; and you confirmed it."

Gabriella looked at her mother with the biggest, most adoration filled doe-eyes, "I can't wait to have this baby with him." She blushed and added shyly, "and marry him."

"Marry?" Her mother's eyes widened.

Gabriella nodded, "Do you want to see my ring?" Before Elena could answer, Gabriella was retrieving the ring from her pocket.

"Mi hija, it's beautiful, but do you think the pair of you are rushing into things?"

"It's been almost a decade. If anything, I think it's been too long."

XxxX

It was late at night when Troy whispered into Gabriella's ear, "How do you feel about having sex in your mother's house?"

She stifled a giggle and rolled over in bed so that she was facing Troy. She pressed one chaste kiss to his lips, "As long as we're quiet, I'm willing."

It was all the encouragement Troy needed to reach beneath the blankets and take hold of her underwear. He pulled it down her body as she wiggled out of it, left only in a worn t-shirt.

"Your turn," this time her kiss wasn't so chaste. She took her time exploring Troy's mouth as her hands simultaneously worked to remove his boxers.

"I love you," Troy said around Gabriella's fervent kisses.

"I love you too," she removed her shirt before clinging to him.

Troy slowed the movement of their lips, kissing Gabriella tenderly, "How quiet do we have to be?" His hand reached down to grip Gabriella's bottom, "I want to make you come hard."

"I can be quiet."

"Are you sure?"

"I guess we'll find out, because I can't deny you the opportunity to give me a wonderful orgasm."

XxxX

"Mmm, what are our plans for today?" Gabriella felt Troy's lips behind her ear and his arms securely around her.

Gabriella looked at the clock on the nearby wall. It read eight-fifteen, "I bet my mom has already left for work. She told me last night she had to go in for a few hours, so we are left to our own devices."

"Sexy devices?" Troy asked as he squeezed her breast.

Gabriella giggled and rolled over in his arms so that she was facing him, "As much as I love being naked with you, why don't we reserve a little bit of time to actually see the city. It will be our first true adventure together. We've never explored a city together."

Her face was so gentle and sincere that Troy felt his chest clench with such love for her that he didn't know what to say. He just stared at her and brushed the hair out of her face tenderly. He pressed a tiny kiss to the tip of her nose before descending to her lips, "How are you so perfect?"

"I'm not perfect, but I love that you think I am."

"Know what my favorite memory of you is?"

"What?" her eyes sparkled with anticipation.

He laced his fingers with hers and brought them up so that their hands were nestled between their bodies, "We were eighteen or nineteen, and we had just started our second semester of freshman year at U of A. It was late at night and I was walking back to my dorm. There was, like, nobody around, but I looked over into the piazza, and there you were. Sitting in the grass and surrounded by all the campus halls, but you were looking straight up at the sky. I felt like the breath was knocked out of me. You didn't see me. You looked like you were putting all your faith into the cosmos while you looked up at the sky. You were so, so breath-taking. You're still breath-taking."

Gabriella loved these quiet moments with Troy. She wanted to relish them forever.

"Do you have a favorite memory of me," Troy asked her with uncertainty.

Gabriella bit her lower lip and snuggled deeper into his embrace, "I have two memories of you – both bittersweet."

"Will you tell me?"

"When I first moved to Albuquerque it was really hard. I was a senior, and I felt like my life had been uprooted. I mean, my mom and I had moved around a few times for her job, but we hadn't moved since my freshman year; and I felt like we were finally building a home and roots in one place. It all ended abruptly when I came home to find my mother sitting in the living room. I could tell something was wrong. She had such a hard time telling me that we would be moving. She just held me and let me cry. I didn't want to leave my friends. But we did, and East High was such an adjustment for me. I didn't feel like I fit in anywhere. And then I met you," at this point in her recollection, Gabriella looked up shyly at Troy before continuing.

"It was another day of searching for somewhere to sit for lunch, but today you were in line behind me. You must have seen how hesitant I was, because you came up beside me and smiled. You said, 'Gabriella, right? We have history together. I'm Troy.' And you asked me to sit with you, but it was different, because you didn't lead me to a table with a bunch of other people. You told me that you had a secret spot where you went for lunch. I followed you up onto the rooftop garden. It was so beautiful, and you were so beautiful, and I felt like I might actually belong somewhere at East High, because you spent the whole lunch talking and laughing with me; and in those moments I didn't want to be anywhere else but with you, and I imagined us eating lunch together up there every day."

"What happened?" his voice shook noticeably.

"The next day Sharpay found me before I could find you," Gabriella admitted sadly. "I didn't even know who she was, but all of the sudden she wanted to be my friend. I guess I know why now."

"I wish I had done so many things differently, Gabriella," Troy's forehead was pressed against Gabriella's as he spoke to her, "I wish I had asked you on dates, and to football games, and to prom like I wanted to. I wish I had just reached over and held your hand when we all went to the fair that one time. I wish I had walked over and kissed you when I saw you sitting by yourself at our end-of-year bonfire."

"It's not your fault," Gabriella soothed with a promise. "How could either of us have known? We were so young and so unsure of everything back then. If she told you I didn't like you, how could you have known I would have welcomed you?"

"I should have been braver and just done it. I've loved you for so long, even with what I thought was the knowledge that you didn't even like me. That should have been enough."

"Don't do that," Gabriella shook her head, her silken curls rubbing against Troy's cheeks with the motion, "just make love to me. Show me how much you love me right now. Now that we have each other."

Troy did as Gabriella desired, leaving her body limp and sated. It was only after she had drifted off to sleep that he remembered that she hadn't told him her second memory. He would ask her after they explored the city later.

XxxX

The delicious ache between her legs reminded her that she and Troy were savoring every minute with one another. As the novelty of it filled her mind and colored her cheeks, she opened her eyes to check the time. It was only slightly after eleven. She and Troy still had plenty of time to explore Phoenix.

Gabriella brushed her nose up the side of Troy's neck before dipping back down to kiss his collarbone. He stirred and he squeezed her closer to his body, but he didn't wake up. After one more failed attempt to gently wake him, Gabriella peeled herself from his embrace and went to shower.

She had barely just stepped underneath the warm spray when she heard the bathroom door open.

"Why didn't you wake me?"

"I tried."

Troy stepped into the shower with Gabriella, taking the loofah from her hands and running it across her shoulders.

"This shower cannot digress into sex. We have things to do today," Gabriella warned.

"I think you mean _progress_," Troy winked, knowing full well that she did not mean it.

"You know I love making love with you, Troy, but we have a whole city to see," her voice was serious.

Troy smiled, "I know. That is why this once, and only once, I'm promising to behave myself in the shower. I only joined you so we could save water."

"I'm sure that's the reason."

Soon enough, they were out the door and walking around downtown Phoenix.

"I love the splashes of greenery they've put throughout the area."

"It's nice," Troy agreed. "You want to sit down in one of the green spaces?"

"Yes," Gabriella smiled brightly. They found a nearby space and sat down, Gabriella running her fingers gently against a tree's bark, nostalgia overtaking her. "There's just something about being near greenery. It reminds me of where my mom and I lived before moving to Albuquerque. We lived in Asheville, North Carolina. I miss the mountains more than anything."

"Can I admit something a little embarrassing?" Troy asked.

Gabriella nodded.

"When you first moved to Albuquerque and I learned that you were from Asheville, I spent, like, a whole week researching it so that I could learn more about you."

"Troy, that is the sweetest thing anyone has ever told me. You were really smitten, huh?" She teased him.

"Love at first sight."

Gabriella reached over to brush her fingers down Troy's cheek and jaw. She leaned in and kissed him, pecking Troy's lips softly several times, "Is it annoying that I tell you I love you so much?"

"I could listen to you tell me you love me for the rest of my life. I hope I get to listen to you tell me that for the rest of my life, Gabriella."

"Only if you promise to tell me too."

"I've loved you since I first laid eyes on you."

"Want to hear my other favorite memory of you?" Gabriella's voice had gone inadvertently sultry as she'd leaned into Troy.

"Yeah."

"It's not that special. Remember when Ryan and Quinn got married? You spent most of the night dancing and playing with the kids. I loved watching how attentive and carefree you were; and those children adored you. They hung on your every movement, every word. But you loved one little girl in particular – I could tell. She was only about three-years old, and she wouldn't let you put her down. She didn't even want to go to her parents. She was having so much fun with you, and you were enamored with such a sweet little thing. And in those moments, I felt the same way for you that I'd felt after our lunch together, and after our movie together. I had butterflies for you, because at that wedding you were exactly the person I had always imagined you to be: kind, funny, carefree, gentle, personable, everything."

"She reminded me of you. The little girl, I mean," Troy spoke nostalgically, "that's why I loved her so much," he was holding Gabriella in his arms now.

Her eyes glittered and her breath hitched, "I just watched you all night, and you were so beautiful out there. I was tempted to ask you to dance. I wanted to feel the joy that you were emitting."

"Why didn't you ask me to dance?"

"Lack of confidence and the so-called knowledge that you didn't like me. God how I wish I'd really known."

"Let's start planning _our _wedding," his thumb brushed against the tears that sat on her eyelashes. "Then you'll never have to wonder if I want to dance with you."

"I love that idea."

"Also, I'm changing my FaceBook status," Troy grinned, "I need all my internet friends to know that I am engaged to the most breath-taking human on this planet."

"Sharpay is going to hate that."

"I know," Troy laughed.

XxxX

"Did you ever imagine that you and I would be picking out a wedding venue together?" Gabriella smiled up at Troy, referencing the conversation that had changed it all.

In response, Troy leaned over and kissed her, "There's no one on Earth with whom I would rather choose a venue. You are the only one I love, Gabriella."

They were sitting in their living room discussing their wedding to do list. It had been three weeks since they returned from their road/beach trip, and Gabriella had dived into the wedding planning process – enjoying it much more this time around. She was inspired, and thrilled, and so unbelievably excited to plan a wedding with Troy.

These feelings took her breath away. She had never imagined that she would get to feel these things, let along share the small intimacies of planning a life together with Troy: choosing a venue, tasting cakes, laughing about envelope stuffing and wedding invitation etiquette. She could hardly believe that just a few short months ago, the idea of planning anything with Troy had made her physically ill.

Now he was the only person she ever wanted to plan anything with. She clicked through a few more photos on the laptop that sat in front of her and Troy.

"Oh this garden is pretty," she remarked.

"I like that one."

"Troy, you've said that about every one of them," she smiled but gave him a sidelong look.

"I'm sorry. It's just that I want you to be happy. I want our wedding to be whatever you want it to be."

"I'll be happy if you offer some opinions," Gabriella kissed him, her face softening with adoration, "It's going to be perfect for me if we do this together."

Troy conceded easily, "Okay. Show me that garden again."

She clicked through the photos again.

"I love it," Troy declared, "And I am going to marry the only woman whose beauty could put that garden to shame."

XxxX

In the end, they did choose the garden. It was unusually lush for an Albuquerque green space; and they were both feeling inspired after their brief time in Phoenix's downtown greenery.

"It's even prettier in person," Gabriella's arm was laced through Troy's as they strolled through their soon-to-be wedding venue. "Look at how beautiful those flowers are."

Troy looked down at Gabriella, joy radiating from her face, "Gabriella, you are the most beautiful thing is this garden, and everyone is going to agree when they see you in your wedding dress in two months."

"Do you think we're rushing things?" even as she looked up at Troy and asked this question, he could see the delight written across her features.

"Not in the slightest. Besides, it's fate. How else would they have the perfect opening for us in two months?"

She giggled. "You're right. Ten years in the making is a pretty long time anyway, huh? I don't want to waste any more time."

Troy put both arms around her waist, "This is a very similar conversation to the one we had the day we actually got married."

They both smiled at one another before Troy leaned in closer to brush his mouth against the shell of Gabriella's ear, "You know, I saw you try to sneak in that bag of lingerie the other day. We don't really have to wait two months for you to model that for me, do we?"

Gabriella turned to look at him, a warm pink blush covering her cheeks, "I thought you didn't see it!"

"You're not as sneaking as you think."

Gabriella pouted, "Well, I'm still not showing you what was in the bag. You'll just have to wait."

"That's torturous."

"You shouldn't have been peaking. You did this to yourself."

"How about a compromise?" Troy suggested.

"What kind of compromise?"

"Show me all of your other lingerie. I promise it will be a win-win for the both of us."

This time, Gabriella blushed so deeply that it surprised Troy. He knew that she was relatively sweet and modest, but he had explored every inch of her body already. He'd watched her in awe as she experienced many an orgasm, so he wasn't sure why she was so flush-faced at this suggestion.

"What?"

"Nothing," Gabriella assured softly, "it's just that I'm noticing that I'm starting to look a little different, and I'm not sure my current lingerie is going to be as flattering as you are imagining."

She was embarrassed.

"Baby," Troy cooed. He tilted her chin up so that they were looking directly into one another's eyes. His voice was tender with affection for her, "don't think like that. I've noticed some changes too, and believe me, you are even more beautiful to me every single day. Let's go home so I can show you."

XxxX

"The bra's too small," Gabriella stood shyly in the doorframe of their bedroom, and Troy had to fight every instinct to not immediately ejaculate upon seeing her dressed in lacy maroon that made her creamy skin look all the more delectable.

Troy stood from his place on the bed and met Gabriella in the doorway, unable to resist her.

"I love you so much," he told her as he ran his fingers through her dark curls, brushing them from her shoulders so that he could see more of her exposed skin. "I don't know how it's legal for someone to look beautiful, seductive, and innocent all at once." He ran his hands down her body, taking his time to feel all her curves.

"I know I said I wanted to see you in this, but I kind of want you out of it now, because I want to see all of you."

Gaining more confidence by his alluring words, Gabriella reached up to kiss him, letting her tongue sweep into his mouth in a sultry dance. She pulled away slowly, lacing their fingers together in the process before guiding him toward their bed, "Come unwrap me."

Troy needed no more encouragement. As they both landed softly on the bed, passion easily overtook them. Troy's hands and lips seemed to be everywhere on her body, but it still wasn't nearly enough. He pulled away so that he could look down at Gabriella, black curls fanned out on the bed. Troy hitched one of her leg's up, placing her ankle on his shoulder. He caressed her, fingers dancing lightly from her thigh to knee so that he could peel the stocking from her leg. He removed it before kissing her ankle. Then, he repeated the process with her other leg.

Gabriella's eyes glowed with both love and lust for the man who took such good care of her heart and body. Troy leaned down to kiss her at seeing the look in her eyes, and then he brought her up so that she was straddling his thighs, her breasts on full display.

"Mmm," Troy's tongue darted out to lick at her through the lacy material of her bra, "pregnancy and lace are going to be the death of me."

Gabriella wrapped her arms around Troy's neck so that he could bury his face in her chest, lathing her breasts with tender kisses before sucking her nipples into his mouth.

"You're teasing," Gabriella moaned.

"I am," he smiled into her lush skin. He slipped his hand between their connected laps, his fingertips dancing closely to one of his favorite erogenous zones, "Are you wet already?"

"Don't ask me rhetorical questions," Gabriella scolded with a gentleness to her voice. "The real question should be, what are you going to do about it?"

"This," his fingers slipped past the lace of her panties and entered the warm wetness that he knew was there. His thumb brushed against her clit sporadically, but their current position wasn't ideal for helping Gabriella climax.

"Let me lay you down," Troy cooed against Gabriella's ear as he did what he said. He laid her back on the bed. This gave him access to copious amounts of Gabriella. He drank her in before leaning forward to slip his tongue between her lips. Their mouths danced together slowly, languidly; and their hands explored one another greedily.

"Troy, I need you inside me," Gabriella all but begged.

He answered with a nod, the sweaty tendrils of his hair brushing against Gabriella's forehead. He guided himself into her, and a collective moan left their lips.

"I still can't believe we haven't been doing this for the past decade," Troy managed to formulate the sentence as pleasure filled him.

"We'll just…" Gabriella's train of thought was cut off with a gasp and moan as Troy pushed deeper into her, "just make up for time lost. I'm all yours, remember?"

XxxX

(two months later)

As the celloists' notes to Canon in D filled the air, Gabriella's stomach filled with butterflies. The fact that her mother was walking her down the garden aisle to Troy was surreal. He was standing there. Waiting for her. He wanted her. He loved her. She was married to Troy. She was having a baby with Troy. She couldn't really believe that this was her life. When her eyes connected with Troy's, she was hit with just how long she had loved him:

"_Gabriella, come on. We have to go find our seats," Sharpay tugged at Gabriella's arm, urging her to enter the cinema._

"_Will you save me a seat? I have to go to the bathroom."_

"_Fine. I'll see you in a few minutes."_

"_Okay," Gabriella smiled._

_As she was exiting the restroom, she bumped into someone, "Oh I'm so sorry." She looked up to see that the person she had bumped into was none other than Troy Bolton. He beamed at her and his hands held gently to her upper arms – an attempt to catch her after she'd bumped into him._

"_Hey Gabriella, no problem. Are you here to see the movie with everyone?" He slowly dropped his hands from her arms._

"_I am," she wasn't sure why his bright blue eyes melted her heart so._

"_Do you want to sit by me and share a popcorn? No one else wants to get any. They say it's overpriced."_

"_Well, it is overpriced," Troy liked the softness of her voice, "but it's also delicious." She leaned in closely, her voice dropping to a whisper, "I also have dollar store candy in my purse that we can share," she pulled back and both of their faces radiated with smiles._

_They went to buy popcorn together before heading into their movie, "Sharpay was supposed to save me a seat, but if there isn't an extra, we can sit somewhere else."_

"_Oh no, I don't want you to have to ditch your friend."_

"_I won't be ditching her," Gabriella looked up at him with a doe-eye expression, "we all came together."_

_Troy smiled and nodded, "You're right. And I bet Chad saved me a seat too. We can just ask everyone to scoot down so we can have the last two seats in the row."_

_They walked into the movie with plenty of time to spare. The lights were still on, and the official previews had not even started._

"_Look who I found," Troy joked and slung an arm around Gabriella's waist. She blushed and tucked a curl behind her ear before greeting her friends._

"_Who found who?" She also teased._

_Troy conceded easily, "Fine. It was a mutual find. Serendipitous if you will, because Gabriella is the only one who agreed to share popcorn with me."_

"_I would have shared with you, Troy," Sharpay volunteered. "But you didn't ask me."_

"_We can all share," Gabriella's suggestion was a gentle question directed at Troy as she looked up at him, the feeling of his arm still around her making her feel warm and fluttery._

"_Of course we can," his voice came out softer than anticipated, addressing only Gabriella. "Hey, can you guys all scoot down? I'm gonna sit on the end with Gabriella and Sharpay."_

_Gabriella sat down so that she was between Sharpay and Troy, but her attention was focused explicitly on Troy._

"_What kind of contraband did you bring?" he winked at her._

"_You will have to wait and see, Mr. Bolton," her whole smile lit up her face, "that guy who takes his job way too seriously," she pointed to a college-aged student in a cinema uniform, "will confiscate them if I take them out now. We have to wait until the lights go out."_

"_I can wait."_

"_Thank you."_

"_Only for you, Gabriella."_

_She blushed again. Then, she reached for some of the popcorn that he was currently holding, only to feel her fingers brushing against his as they both tried to grab handfuls._

"_Sorry," she mumbled._

"_It's okay."_

Gabriella isolated the simple memory, erasing the next couple of hours that would break her heart for almost a decade. The isolated memory of his arm around her waist, his wistful smile, the brush of his fingers against hers all made her ache with the love she felt for her husband. And as she met him at the altar, she had to resist the urge to bury herself into his embrace. She watched as he mouthed the words "I love you," both of them completely ignoring the man performing their ceremony.

Gabriella mouthed "We love you" as her hand fluttered and landed affectionately on her stomach, her bump now evident.

Troy stepped closer and reached out for Gabriella's other hand, and she couldn't quite understand how he seemed to know exactly what she needed. She needed his touch, even if it was as simple as holding her hand.

Gabriella and Troy heard nothing of the words spoken during their wedding ceremony, but somehow they said the right words at the right time, and finally they were kissing one another – Troy holding his beautiful bride in his arms and deepening the kiss a bit more than he probably should have in the presence of their friends and family.

But neither of them cared, because it was all such a long time coming.


End file.
